Google has updated its privacy policy - in fact, it has consolidated a mess of over 70 different privacy policies each covering an individual service into one, simpler policy. You'll now be treated as a single account, and data will be shared between Google services to make search results and ads more personalised (I assumed they already did that - makes sense).

Google doesn't need me to shoot the messenger. I just don't think them creating a single privacy policy and streamlining their accounts is a big deal or "evil" as Gawker calls it. I think it is common sense and somewhat surprising it has taken them this long to do it. Streamlining their privacy policy actually makes it easier to see what Google is doing and for people who care about it to make a decision about sticking with Google.

If privacy is your concern, Google hasn't been the service for you for quite a long time.